Major League Soccer has accepted an offer from the Kraft Sports Group to acquire operating control of the San Jose Clash. Kraft Sports Group, the investor-operator of MLS’ New England Revolution and the owner of the National Football League’s New England Patriots, will assume control of the team immediately. Major League Soccer had been negotiating a sale of the Clash to a group of investors headed by Alan Rothenberg, founder of MLS, and Dentsu, Inc., the world’s largest advertising agency. The closing for the Rothenberg group’s transaction was delayed several times due to the economic difficulties in Japan, and ultimately did not take place. The Kraft Sports Group’s transaction takes the form of an immediate operating arrangement with an option to purchase for cash in excess of the $25 million purchase price offered to the Rothenberg group. “This agreement reinforces my family’s commitment to Major League Soccer,” said Robert Kraft, owner of Kraft Sports Group. “We are proud to join Lamar Hunt and Phil Anschutz as operators of multiple teams in MLS. We believe in the growth of soccer not only in the Bay Area, but also throughout this country.” Major League Soccer’s Board of Governors will continue its discussions with Rothenberg’s group about the possibility of becoming an investor-operator of an MLS team in the future. “We hope Alan Rothenberg and Dentsu are able to put together a bid for one of the league’s teams,” Kraft added. “We would certainly support such an effort.” “While I am disappointed that we were not able to close this transaction,” said Rothenberg via phone from Zurich where he is attending FIFA committee meetings, “the additional commitment by the Kraft family to Major League Soccer is a great boost for the league and assures its continued stability and growth. The Kraft family is nationally recognized as being one of the best owners of sports teams and I know they will do an excellent job with the Clash.” “We’re delighted to place the San Jose Clash in the hands of Robert and Jonathan Kraft,” said Stuart Subotnick, Chairman of the MLS Board of Governors and an investor-operator of the MetroStars. “The Kraft family has been superb operators and committed partners.” “We applaud the actions taken today by the Kraft family with regard to the San Jose Clash,” said Lamar Hunt, principal investor-operator of the Kansas City Wizards and the Columbus Crew, and owner of the NFL Kansas City Chiefs. “We are partners with them in both football and soccer and have the highest respect for their financial acumen and operating expertise.” Major League Soccer features a unique ownership and operating structure for a major professional sports league in the United States. Unlike other professional sports leagues, which are confederations of individual franchise owners, MLS is structured as a single, limited liability company (single entity). In a single-entity endeavor, each team operator owns a financial stake in the league, not just an individual team.